AMC brings its first dine-in theater to L.A.

An AMC Dine-In Theatre in Grapevine, Texas. AMC is opening its first dine-in… (AMC )

AMC, the nation's second-largest cinema chain, is opening its first dine-in theater in Southern California in Marina del Rey.

Set to open Monday, the theater is the 11th dine-in theater that Kansas City, Mo.-based AMC has opened around the country.

AMC Marina 6, at the corner of Maxella and Glencoe avenues, features six auditoriums with more than 400 seats for adults only that will allow patrons to order food and drinks, including beer and wine, from their plush recliners.

“It’s dinner and a movie, and it’s done right -- what could be better than that?” AMC Chief Executive Gerry Lopez said in a statement. "Based on the feedback at these locations around the country, our guests in the Los Angeles area are going to love this experience.”

The opening of such a theater by one of the nation's largest circuits underscores how the dinner-and-a-movie concept, once viewed as a risky experiment, is becoming more mainstream in the U.S. exhibition industry.

In fact, AMC -- recently acquired by China's Dalian Wanda Group -- is just the latest chain to expand into the lucrative dine-in-theater business, which allows theaters to capture some of the business they currently lose to restaurants. AMC Marina 6 will include a bar and lounge called MacGuffins serving gourmet burgers, artisan flatbreads, salads and roasted chicken and brisket quesadillas, among other items.

Several other theater chains have been offering so-called premium food and beverage services, including dine-in options.

Australian luxury theater operator Gold Class Cinemas brought its high-end brand to Pasadena more than two years ago. (It was sold and now operates as iPic Theaters).

And Cinepolis Luxury Cinemas, the Mexico City-based theater circuit, has opened three luxury theaters in Southern California, including Westlake Village, where patrons can order gourmet food and drinks from their seats.

As with other dine-in theaters, the luxury service comes with a price. The cost of a ticket at AMC Marina 6 will be as much as $17.50 (not including food) depending on the day of week and showtime. Cinepolis charges up to $19.50 at its Westlake Village location.